SHOEBOX APPEAL - basically you fill a shoebox with little gifts and useful items like soap and flannel and stuff and wrap it up like a christmas present, then they are taken to needy children in other countries. Schools usually do it, thats where I started but have just carried it on and do 3 a year now

Laffy42

ask the local organisers if they have any spare or know where you can get them? email Clarks & ask them?

I usually give them to my neighbours kids to take into school (and we all know schools are awful at that sort of thing, cant see them having any boxes) have taken to local drop off points before and they usually dont have a clue what I am on about!

I've never done a shoe box but I was helping out a friend and a couple of ladies came to buy crayons, notepaper, little things, they said they had to choose an age range and sex for their box contents. I think it's a lovely idea and fun to put together.

have you tried asking on your local freecycle maybe or putting up a wanted notice in your local shop or post office. freecycle should work as not often you see wanted posts for little thing like shoeboxes , usually just plasma tv etc lol. i would offer to send you sme but both me & my mum do this also (have been filling them slowly over the year). you could try asking a local biggish company like your council or something, anyone who has to buy workboots in bulk coz they would have loads of boxes

I've never done a shoe box but I was helping out a friend and a couple of ladies came to buy crayons, notepaper, little things, they said they had to choose an age range and sex for their box contents. I think it's a lovely idea and fun to put together.

I like it :) collect stuff through the year and feels good to give to someone who really has nothing when you are wrapping up loads of stuff for people you have struggled to buy for because they have so much, or opening all of your own presents

I also pick little gifts up through the year because our local newspaper or radio station normally do collections of unwrapped new gifts which they wrap and hand out in hospices/hospitals/care homes (depending on the collection you chose to give to). Have about 10 presents this year

Jimston

have you tried asking on your local freecycle maybe or putting up a wanted notice in your local shop or post office. freecycle should work as not often you see wanted posts for little thing like shoeboxes , usually just plasma tv etc lol. i would offer to send you sme but both me & my mum do this also (have been filling them slowly over the year). you could try asking a local biggish company like your council or something, anyone who has to buy workboots in bulk coz they would have loads of boxes

Some good ideas :) Thanks for saying you would send some too, nice to see someone else who does them. Picked up some flannels for mine today :) pretty much finished them now, got a box overflowing with stuff. Only thing I need to do is get some sweets, cant get them early or they will go out of date!

asda have some really preety tinkerbell or disney princess pencil sets for just 50p at the mo got some of those and carboots are perfect for little teddy bears, also keep an eye out in asda when they sell of the kids jewellry you get half a dozen little beaded bracelets for 25-30p. you could put in some of the 10p haribo bags as they have a really long date on them.